This time last week we were soaking up the seemingly endless Balinese sunshine with the ROXY team - and you probably double tapped a few of Cait Miers’ awesome shots we posted on Insta.

In between surf sessions, island adventures and #BaliEcoWeekend fun we caught up with the talented Aussie born, Bali-based photographer, to discover what incredible stories were hiding behind that lens of hers, and we weren’t disappointed….

How did it all start, photography?

Photography for me has kinda been only a recent thing. I dabbled in it in high school, and was always fascinated by the imagery all the top surf brands would bring out. A few years ago when I was about 16, I was on a holiday on the Gold Coast with my family and decided to sit on the rocks at Snapper with mum’s camera and take photos of surfing. I kinda fell in love with it then and there.

I’ve always admired how the surf industry operates, aligning careers with the ocean, and I grew up wanting to steer clear of a 9-5. A lover of sports, I went into a degree in Sports Science and Sports Management after high school (hoping that one day I could work with top surf athletes) but quickly realised a career like this would require way more studying than I could handle. I stuck with it for a year then something just clicked and I ended up applying for photography.

For me, going to Uni for Photography was not about getting a degree, you don’t need one to be a photographer. But I needed to learn the skills, and it really helped with that. Surf photography I’m pretty much self taught, and have learned a lot from reaching out to people around me. At the moment, my main focus is capturing women in the water, and showing their feminine, natural beauty out in the lineup.

How long have you been photographing the salty life?

When I started photography, it’s all I wanted to do. Initially I wanted to shoot more of the sports and action side of it, but as my style progressed I realised I loved the art of it more, the story behind the people in the water and those unique in-between moments better. I got my first water housing a year and a half ago, and spent the summer shooting friends and anyone I could find back home out in the water.

There’s so much freedom with just swimming out there, only attached to your camera as an extension of what you can see. I love shooting fisheye too (which gets those under/over water shots) because you’re capturing a moment you really can’t see with the naked eye. Making photography my career was a lifestyle choice. I wanted to find a way I can combine my love of surfing and the ocean, with photography, and it’s been the best choice I’ve ever made.

What was the catalyst to move from Australia to Bali for the next 6-12 months?

After finishing my Photography degree last year, I decided I needed to make a move somewhere warmer during our Winter, as there’s not too much women’s surfing going on during that time! Bali seemed like the perfect opportunity to further my fashion work as well as shooting more babes in the water, so my boyfriend (who’s also a surf photographer) and I packed up and left to chase the summer. It’s been the best thing for us, connecting with so many creatives over here! Bali is such a beautiful place and although it took a little to get settled, it’s really nice to spend a decent amount of time in the one place.

What has been the best thing about the move?

Definitely being part of the creative movement here in Bali. There are so many interesting, like-minded people taking the leap out of the normal and coming here to discover something new. A lot of the crew and expats I’ve met were born and raised here, and it’s so cool to hear their stories. Back in Aus, it’s like they teach you to go to uni and get a degree in a stable job, over here, they encourage you to be a designer or photographer or something really creative, and everyone you meet is doing that. The warm waves being a 30 second scooter ride from our house was also a GREAT incentive…. and blue skies everyday!

How was it following the ROXY team for a week?

Being part of the trip and capturing the special moments with the team was really a dream come true for me. It was cool because there were 4 of us that were 22 years old, so it was like just hanging with a bunch of girlfriends I’d known for ages! Chatting to the girls and hearing their stories, it was important for me to capture them totally in the moment. I think it’s so important to portray these women exactly how they are; beautiful, natural, feminine and extremely talented ladies. Nothing was forced, and the shooting just came really naturally.

Any highlights?

The highlights for me were getting to spend time with the girls shooting out in the water, it was so much fun. Everyone was just laughing and goofing around, cheering each other onto waves and having a ball!

Follow Cait’s Instagram here for your daily dose of saltwater therapy.